Brink of Delusion; Crystal's Shine ((Full))

[MadameDPomp]

The False Bearer was good at what she did. Jolyre grudgingly gave her those props. Nebelim dodged their attacks with...maybe not ease, but a fair amount of skill. And she was lucky...Jolyre would've loved nothing more than to see her organs shredded by her shards. It was like a deadly three way dance. Dodging each others' blows and friendly fire with escapes that were often uncomfortably close or simply too late.
And then she disappeared again. Of course.
No. Jolyre grimaced. Not disappeared. Multiplied.
Darkness, the element of cowards. she thought angrily.
Two Nebelims stood and she knew that to attempt to kill the wrong one would have a disastrous result.
Think Jolyre. Think fast now!
"Mock my reality as you will, Nebelim." Jolyre called calmly into the cacophony. "What is an illusion but the opposite of intuition?"
The only problem with her logical smack talk was Jolyre despised gut impulses. She dealt in the hands of calculated battle plans that were surefire to win, whether she had to calculate them in seconds or not. But how do you plan against something that's not real? Can you fight the abstract with logic?
Since the copy was simply an extension of Nebelim and her crystal power, the copy would retain a less potent replica of that power. Going by that logic, Jolyre would have go blindly, by feeling only, to tell which seemed the most...wrong. The False Bearer had a certain aura to her from her crystal; not the soft resonation that Jolyre and true bearer's gave, but a harsh buzzing wave.
No...that wasn't right either. That would be too easy to exploit. Would it? Jolyre stomped. She was thinking this through too hard and she was using borrowed time to do it. That was what Nebelim wanted. Okay. go in blind. Use your impulses.
Maybe that was Nebelim wanted, too. For her to just...do it and not think through. Jolyre shrugged it all off. All logic. All organized though. An action never before performed by the Light Bearer. She kicked off from a floor covered the debris, building and human alike, and landed skillfully by Harrier. Shoving herself closer, she stood facing out, so they were back to back. No illusion would sneak up, but they couldn't go on the offensive either. Jolyre raised her arms above head,a swift fluid movement. As she did so, a golden circle appeared at their feet. It shot up around them, encasing them in a translucent cylinder so as not to impede their view. This barrier was true. True, pure energy. If were to be touched by an illusion, that would create paradox. You cannot twist the purest, simplest form of something into something completely new.
"Harrier, do me a favor and think of something brilliant, because, well...I'm running out ideas." Jolyre said through gritted teeth. The barrier was intense and strong and extremely taxing. To hold it in place for an extended amount of time would be similar as if Jolyre had been stabbed by the woman's poison. Not fatal, but exhausting and debilitating. To make matters worse a dull ache surfaced somewhere deep within Jolyre. It pained her...but was not her pain. She couldn't allow it to unsettle her; instead she was flooded with new resolve to win this battle and get to Renara as fast as time would allow. She'd known she would travel with these half-wit, sharp-tongued true crystal bearers the whole time; she just couldn't admit that fact at the time.
(I feel like an idiot. I sat and thought ridiculously hard about "well...how DO you fight an illusion?" and I'm pretty sure I over-thought it for about half an hour. XD)  

[Scythe de Zaran]

Rigo was about slash to Jayden when the fake crystal bearer suddenly disappeared. The Nero Angeal narrowed his eyes and spun around to look for Jayden. The noble wasn't ready for Jayden's attack and barely put up a shield as the scorching fire nearly engulfed him. Ironically, he still thought of Alane and managed to give her some cover as well. However, Rigo himself was not as lucky. He wouldn't come out unscathed. The force of the fire pushed him back into the wall just as he had rammed Jayden in earlier.

Putting up a shoddy darkness shield wasn't going to do the trick. Rigo pushed back forcefully with a wave of darkness, but since his darkness wasn't as concentrated or trained as Jayden's he wouldn't be able to repel it completely. In the air. At that moment, Rigo felt something from his Crystal. He wasn't sure what it was. He couldn't be distracted now. Looking toward Suri and even Gio had almost gotten him killed. He needed to stay alive in order to protect Gio.

It was a gamble, but he'd deal with it. He wasn't going to get out of it unscratched anyway. The Nero Angeal kept his mind straight as he charged toward Jayden on the ground, meaning to run through the flames with darkness around him and to ignore the pain. He knew the fire user was in the air, and as he passed under, he slashed upward, releasing some raw dark energy at him and then the Nero Angeal took a jump onto a table and vaulted to aim a swift kick at the fire user's stomach. "You're lacking," Rigo stated firmly.... and in the process, he happened to notice Gio. Gio?  

[Denyala]

< biggrin

[Jest_A_Clown]

Suri didn't take well to this feeling, if Aztherus had felt it as well, he hadn't shown any sign before he leapt away. Something was happening, it felt like the calm ending just as the storm was seconds from hitting. It wasn't a happy feeling. Miya had grabbed his arm and voiced concern over Gio's location. Suri had honestly thought she was about to blast the ruins of this bar to cinders when she'd begun marching off to face the Fake Fire wielder, but this concern showed what was really important. "I don't know, in the fray it was difficult to keep track of the others. Let's try outside...through that gaping hole in the wall." he said grimly as he noticed a large hole in the wall where something had burst out with considerable force. As he and Miya drew near to the mis-shapen exit, they saw Rigo fighting the Fire wielder, and Joylre and Harrier battling one...or two Dark wielders?

"You're the more experienced, Miya, head out and help Gio if he needs it. I'll even the odds with Rigo and we'll help out Joylre and Harrier then join up soon." he said quickly since time was short. This feeling was heralding something, and that created a sense of urgency. They parted ways with Miya heading out of the ruined bar and Suri heading off to the area where Rigo and the Fire wielder were. "Fire didn't do much against this...Aztherus, but this Fire-Wielder looks like flesh and blood. And if that's the case, he'll definately feel it when I shock him." Suri thought with satisfaction. He drew close enough to see Rigo launching into the air with a flying kick aimed at the Fire wielder's stomach. "He looks to have this under control at the moment, hope it stays that way." Suri thought hopefully as he stayed near the edge of the fight, not interjecting unless needed.  

[Black Claided Cat]

Enter- Harrier A'Cal

Harrier was again grateful of Joylre's light barrier. They stood back to back as they watched for the movements of the Nebelims.

"Harrier, do me a favor and think of something brilliant, because, well...I'm running out ideas."

“I would suggest just attack all of them, but that would waste too much energy for you and too much time for me. And it's not exactly brilliant. Which one has the stronger resonance is hard because they're almost even. We can compare but that is also as bad- let's just attack one and see if it hurts the original. They're all connected!” Harrier finally came up with. He scanned the area at the different Dark fakes, five or six. That's a one in six chance of getting the right one. Was the woman even here? No matter, they would have to try one of the solutions.

He aimed his swords at the farthest one, because that would be the most logical to be at when having clones. He paused and was about to turn his head to Jolyre but he remembered that they were like this to make sure none of them got attacked from behind.

“How do you think her illusion works? Is it straight through or solid enough to be a part of her to see an effect on the real one?”

He needed to see if she agreed with his idea, they were partners at the moment- they needed to act together at least. Harrier kept his eyes on the enemies, and they were still there when he felt a strange feeling in his chest. It wasn't pain, and it wasn't a pulse of his crystal, but it was there and noticeable. He felt Jolyre shift from behind him, she must have felt it too. Whatever it was it probably wasn't good, but they had to keep their head in the fight. A second pulse followed a few moments after the first, and this time one of the Nebelim's turned their head.

It was the only one who did it.

She gave herself up.

“There!” He barely had time to say before he turned Jolyre around to direct an attack at the true Nebelim.

“The one next to the burnt table there, that's the real one,” he said as he kept his eye on her incase she tried to move. His hands were on his swords and ready to attack as soon at he saw Jolyre ready. Once he did, he gave a large grin and shouted.

“Turbine!”

Exit- Harrier A'Cal

(( Don't worry; with my experience with fighting clones and stuff I usually just attack all of them to whittle out the real one. But such was not the case. *Like in Naruto with his clones, you attack them all with a weak broad range to make the clones go 'poof'. Or in FFXII where you fight a ghost who has a few clones and pops up every now and then, you kill all of them.* ))  

[Black Claided Cat]

Enter- Alane Shoudu

“I'm fine!” Alane scolded him when she realized that he put a shield around her. No matter, she was thankful. And even more when the fire stopped.

She dashed out from behind the table and ran for a pack that was on the ground, she had seen it held throwing knives earlier. As she took up the bag and took out a dozen or so blades she felt a little tingle on her chest. Like something that needed to be there wasn't. Alane, however confused at the small thing, threw a knife at Jayden to follow Rigo's kick to the stomach. It hit the fire user's shoulder. Good. Not great, but not terrible either. Another buzzing sensation hit her chest, but she ignored it. She took another and threw, and another, rinse and repeated as necessary. In this case until he fell from the air.

“Rigo! Pay attention to now!” She shouted when she saw the Nero Angeal look outside toward his brother. Alane lept up onto a table and tackled him to help him escape a small fire ball that was thrown in his direction.

“Bloody Marith, that breath can make my father's whiskers fall off,” she growled as she got off of him.

“Do these guys ever stop?” she murmured as she saw Jayden get up and sear his newly made wounds, “No matter, we have to end it soon. I don't know how much longer I'll run on pure emotion. I have no magic and no techniques other than my weapons, but do you think we can bind together and take him out?”

Exit- Alane Shoudu  

[MadameDPomp]

Jolyre maintained the barrier and it was going strong, but time was limited. The shouts and other assorted battle sounds rattled the air around them. But the others couldn't be a concern of hers right now. She and Harrier were surrounded by Nebelim. All of her.
“I would suggest just attack all of them, but that would waste too much energy for you and too much time for me..."
Jolyre's hope and face fell, dropping to quickly battle worn floor. That was exactly what she'd hoped to avoid. she could've attack all of them at once, sure. But not in a space this tight where so many true bearers would be unfortunate collateral.
Harrier made a movement like was going to step out of the barrier, but thought twice. It was a lose-lose situation. They couldn't attack nor could they be attack within the safe confines of the shielding. It seemed that the wind bearer too had felt the strange feeling. The deep one so subtle, but so...there. Jolyre, so focused on the barrier's maintenance, was relieve to hear Harrier's cry of "there!"
She didn't even protest to being spun around by the wind bearer, facing the right direction of the true Nebelim. The slightest twitch of the head.
Jolyre's arms immediately went out into an embracing motion and the shielding fell away, dissipating into the dust and carnage. There was one problem with Harrier's plan. The fake Nebelims would still be there. That was an issue.
It all came down to something she wasn't even sure would work. She could kill the clones..if Harrier's attack hit Nebelim.
She took a step away from Harrier and her palms collided with the harsh snap of metal on metal. "Dia!"
An orb of light formed around her, silhouetting her. It grew and the rays from it reached lethally out. Finally it grew too big. The orb snapped with a loud echoing crack and an ephemeral, pulsating light ripped through the building. It lasted moments only and then it was gone, like a dream or a moment missed in the blink of an eye.  

[Draconia Crystalis]

Nebelim created several duplicates around Harrier and Jolyre, keeping them confined to standing back-to-back. It seemed like she had the perfect opportunity to strike them both down with some solid-illusion versions of herself, but then the cursed Light Bearer brought up a barrier around the two of them. As much as she wished she could, she didn't have the power to break through the barrier. Her advantage wasn't in outperforming their magic, but in outsmarting them with her own. Her illusionary copies would be vaporized the moment they touched the screen of light.

However, her concentration was broken for just a moment as a sensation she had never felt before pulsed through the air. It seemed like the Bearers had felt something else before that, but if she didn't feel it, then it didn't matter to her. This other sensation, however, drew her gaze towards it. In her moment of distraction, she failed to have her duplicates move in the same way, and that gave her away as the original. She realized her mistake the moment Harrier shouted.

What made it worse was the damned Light Bearer seemed to be on to how to beat her. After dropping the shielding around the two of them, she encompassed herself in light, which seared into her and her clothes with their harmful radiance. Harmful only to one of darkness, like herself of course. Then, just like she had thought it would happen, Jolyre sent all of that light out in a sudden snap. The wall of light blew away her illusions and sucked away her power. "Damn you, Aegis," Nebelim cursed her name with fury, her body shaking from the damage to her strength. Her body might not have been harmed at all in the fight, but that light had hurt her as badly as any blade in ways that couldn't be seen.

She looked out of the corner of her eyes and saw Jayden taking a beating, in no better position than herself, perhaps even worse. "We have to pull out! Leave Kai to retrieve the Fate Crystal on his own. He's strong enough to hold his own!" She gathered as much darkness around her ash she could muster, and transported herself over to Jayden. Taking him into the dark, they both vanished.

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Jayden's view was obscured by the enormous blast of flame he had released, and on top of that, at that exact moment, he felt the same odd pulse that everyone else was feeling. This further distracted him from his prey, as Rigo burst through his flame blast from underneath, releasing a dark slash up at him. The wave of darkness lacerated his arm and writhed through the air, latching onto his eyes and leaving him blind once more.

He roared out in pain and alarm at the injuries and the sudden debilitation, and was further pained as he felt long, wicked knives hurtle into his side, drawing still more blood from his flesh. "Damn it," he growled, stopping his blast after he had been hit, "We can out-do one of them, but two is just out of the- Gah!" He roared in pain once more as he was struck in the back by a heavily booted foot, and a jolt of electricity ran through his body. He went soaring into the wall again, and shakily pushed himself up on both hands, his arms jerking sporadically as his nerves went haywire from the shock. "Three on one? I can't take this. I need to be stronger. I can't die yet."

He lifted his head up as Nebelim called out to him, declaring it was time to withdraw. If he had been struck by Suri, then that meant that their freak-show, Astherus, had withdrawn as well. Yes, they had underestimated the advantage of numbers that the Bearers had. They had been marginally overconfident. Had the numbers been even, victory would have been theirs. Before he could voice his agreement to Nebelim, she was already next to him, wrapping him in the dark to take him away.

Before he was consumed and taken away, he looked at the ones who had defeated him, and said, "I look forward to our next fight. I won't make the same mistake twice. Next time, I'll fight you as equals, rather than as inferiors." And with that, he was taken away and he let himself fall into the dark, to beaten to keep himself upright anymore.

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Gio reached out.

He grasped the hand.

The figure, his yellow eyes wide with surprise, gave him an amused look. "So, you have the drive in you after all. A power that cannot be reached by any normal will. A power only your soul has the strength to reach."

Gio stared hard into the figure's eyes, his voice finally coming to him. "I will never allow my friends to die around me. It already happened once. I won't let it happen again. I will not be power-less anymore! I won't run away!"

"That determination to keep going...." the man said, his eyes softening for a moment, "You remind me very much of four old friends of mine. Friends who held hope in their hands and taught me what it meant to fight for what you believe. Friends I once gave my own life to protect. Maybe you can be as great as they were, but that won't be enough. You need to be better. Never stop growing, and I will take you on as my disciple. I will teach you everything I know. That is what I can give you."

Gio nodded, not saying a word. Whoever this man was, if he could become a true warrior, then he would do anything. He would call this man his master if it meant he could stop the bloodshed in front of him.

When the figure was alone, he whispered, "Can you see him, Bartz? He is the one I will teach everything to. He will inherit our will and defeat it once and for all."

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Gio slowly laid Kasumi on the ground, holding a hand over her wound. His eyes never left Kai as the anger he felt almost seemed to make the air around him heavier. Every fiber of his being was screaming to stop the bloodshed, to protect Kasumi and all of his new friends from this man, who was considerably more powerful than the others.

"Kasumi," he whispered to her quietly, removing his hand from her and ripping his traveling cloak from his body, laying it across her. "Run. Run now and don't let anyone near me and him. I won't be held responsible if they were to try to help, but get hurt in the process."

Gio's eyes were shaded by his hair as he stood. He stood up without a single shake or stagger like he had been experiencing before. His pain was gone. His anger was alight, and adrenaline pumped through him, giving him a feeling of excitement he had never felt before. He wanted to fight. He wanted to show he wasn't helpless. He wanted to show everyone just what he could do, even if he didn't even know what it was he could do yet.

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Kai's eyes flashed darkly as he watched the weak little boy stand up as though nothing was wrong with him. He moved as if he wasn't injured anymore.... His eyes widened with shock as he realized that that was exactly the case. The boy really wasn't injured anymore! Blood still dripped from where the wounds once were, but with him ripping his traveling cloak off, his bare arms and face were revealed to be completely unscathed. This wasn't a power of the Fate Crystal, so what was it? What power could this pathetic child have that he didn't?

Even more surprising was what he saw next. Just off to Gio's side, Kasumi's grave injury had made a full recovery! Blood still gorged her clothes, and the front of them was still severely ripped, but underneath that, her skin was as fresh as though she had just come out of the water. What was this healing power? How did Gio perform this feat?

He kept advancing on the boy as he tried to figure it all out.

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Gio lifted his head, looking straight into Kai's eyes unflinchingly. "I've had enough of death. I've had enough to loved-ones die around me to last a lifetime," he said, his voice quivering with rage. In an instant, his gray eyes flashed from their normal stony color to a reflective, almost mirror-like silver hue. Countless thoughts spun through his head in a jumble, and just as quickly vanished from his mind, only to come back again and fall once more like a tide.

"I will kill you before you lay another hand on Kasumi, or any of my friends!" he shouted, his eyes alight with a glow that cold only be felt rather than seen.

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"You'll die before you get the chance!" Kai shouted, swinging his blade when he finally came within range. He was aiming straight for Gio's neck, knowing that no matter how well he regenerated, nothing could bring back the dead. If he died instantly, then there would be nothing to heal.

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Energy swirled around Gio's hand, catching Kai's eye as he struck out, and as Gio willed himself to fight back, he felt knowledge and thoughts flow through his mind like a rushing torrent. He saw a weapon in his mind.

He wanted it.

He needed it!

He swung it around!

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Kai looked in disbelief at the impossible again happening before him. From nowhere, a long shaft of metal had sprung from the boy's hands, and he had deftly intersected it with his blade, effectively stopping him in mid-swing despite the power and force he had put into the blow. A halberd! he shouted in his head, leaping back as in the next instant the pole whirled around and the large, wicked blade at the end of it almost cut his arm from his body.

Now was not the time to question what this was. The boy was dangerous. He needed to kill the boy before he himself was killed, and he could think about what this was afterward.

((This is pretty much going to be me attempting to put on a show for you guys, since what I want to do will be far too hectic for anyone to interfere. This is also much less of a drastic character change than it appears, and I'll make that apparent some time down the road, but for now Gio is a walking factory of bad-a**. I want you all to enjoy the scene I will try to paint in your heads when I make my next post. You all had your spotlights, and now its my turn. twisted ))  

[Vizzion]

Orin Beleren

Orin watched in surprise as Kai made his shards into nothing using his power and to make things worse he had only been able to make superficial wounds to not only Kai but also to Kasumi and Gio. I have severely misjudged my opponent. This does not bode well.. Orin thought as he frowned and gritted out of frustration of making an amateur mistake of misjudging an opponent and not going with more complicated spells.

As Orin was lost in thought, he was only brought back into the fight when he saw a beam of light striking at him. "Oh Damn!" was all Orin was able to mutter before conjuring a wall of Ice to shield his from the ethereal lance. Just as the lance hit the wall and dissipated, Orin brought down the wall only to be caught by surprise by the second step of Kai's attack. "Encircle". Orin heard faintly as the bands of light encircled him. Encircled but did not kill him, he was forced to watch Kai slice through Kasumi and her shield.

What the? I thought he would go for the kill shot? Wait, Damn, he is still aims to capture Gio...I-I have failed to protect those two.. Orin thought as he entrapped by Kai's spell and feeling quite helpless as he lowered his head in anger and frustration at being trapped by the enemy. But as he was already going through what he did wrong in his head he heard the crazed one announcing that the others were pulling out of the fight. Good...even if I am not able to help those two, at least the others are now freed from their battles... Orin thought, his mind already cluttered with thoughts of what he could have done and what he did wrong.

But as Orin was feeling disappointed from his capture, he saw Gio standing up and seemingly fearless. He heard Gio announce his determination with fierceness that Orin did not think could come out of Gio. Seems like I have also misjudged that one. He could fight by himself if he wanted to after all. Orin watched as Gio defended himself with a conjured Halberd and standing tall against Kai. Orin smirked when he saw Kai's reaction. The man who seemingly had all the confidence in the world was now shocked by his previous prey.

((Well, I will be able to move again once Kai leaves right? lol))  

[hinastar]

Kasumi could feel the wound across her body began to heal and the water return to her skin. She looked up at Gio. She didn't want to leave his side, but knew it was probably best if she did. "Alright. You be careful Gio." Kasumi smiled as she got up, keeping his cloak around her to protect her skin from the harsh sand. She made her way back to the bar slowly, her body still sore from the attack. She watched from the safe distance the fight that was about to happen. She made sure that no one would try to interupt the fight.  

[Jest_A_Clown]

Seeing how neatly Alane and Rigo were wrapping up the fight with Fake-Fire, Suri couldn't help but contribute a parting blow to the beaten opponent. A swift kick to the rear satisfied his needs and elicited a satisfying roar of pain from the man, who'd only barely begun to heal the wounds Alane had just put in. Apparently the Darkness-wielder had come to a similar position with Joylre and Harrier, because she sounded the call for retreat. Suri didn't expect her to leap from the darkness so close to him and literally whisk away the battered Fire-wielder though. These foreign elements were so new to him in their workings. All his life he'd been surrounded by all of them, but all that had mattered was the pulsating source of energy and power for Metrino: Thunder. Suri realised that all the elements were going to be very prominent in this journey, and if he were to survive, he'd best get to learning their uses in and out of battle.

Seeing that the absolutely wrecked building was clear save for the Bearers and the bodies, Suri, Alane, and Rigo made their way to the hole leading outside and into the storm. Meeting up with Joylre and Harrier, they filed outside to meet with the others where something amazing was happening. "By the Fates! Is that Gio?" Suri exclaimed as he saw the young boy who'd looked so feeble just minutes ago valiantly wielding a...halberd? Just where did that come from? There was a look and a vibe to this new Gio that radiated power, justice, confidence, will, strength, all the things that encompassed what a hero was. Gio was doing more than holding his own against the man whom Aztherus had called 'Kai', he was retaliating viciously. "This is amazing...I wish-" he cut off as he noticed Kasumi, clothes slashed across her torso and the lines of what looked like a cut literally dissapearing before his eyes...but cuts didn't drench clothes in blood. Seeing she had walked back from where Gio and Kai were fighting, he assumed she had been wounded more severely than she looked now. "Are you...ok? Do all Sahagin possess such amazing healing powers, Kasumi?" he asked with wonder. He moved to her other side to block the brunt of the wind that was constantly tearing at them. "If regular Tylemites can't stand these storms, it must be torture for wet creatures to be caught in." he thought as he inspected her for more injuries...or lack thereof.

It was then that he noticed Orin, off to the side and bound by what looked like rings of light. "Joylre? No, she just got here with us, does that mean Kai is their version of a Light-Bearer? I'll have to think on that later, I need to see if he can be set loose...Being held rigidly still in the face of a sandstorm must be terribly unpleasant, at least he as those thick clothes to cover him though." Suri thought as he put a supporting hand on Kasumi, keeping away from the side that had been cut, just in case it still hurt. "You should be inside. This weather can't be good for your kind. But I understand if you wish to see this. It's truly amazing." he said in awe. To him, fighting was just another form of science, one that flowed from opponent to opponent, where your results were only as good as your reflexes, strength, and quick wit. Watching Gio and Kai, it was like a whole other facet was added to the science of fighting....he desperately wanted to take notes.

Suri knew this was their battle. Interference from anyone would most likely result in unwanted injuries. Kai wielded that great Claymore like a dagger, Gio was wielding his weapon with the skill of a veteran warrior. It was dangerous to even get closer to watch. "Just what happened, I wonder?" he said quietly as he continued to watch, shielding Kasumi with his large frame while the storm blew on and on.  

[hinastar]

Kasumi looked up at Suri and smiled. "Some more than others, but the healing of my wound was not my doing. It was Gio." she said as she walked inside, keeping the cloak Gio had given her tightly wrapped around her. "I hate the sand. Its so sandy and hot." she laughed, trying to lighten the mood a bit. She wanted to stay strong, for Gio, for everyone that had fought. "Gio told me to keep everyone away. He doesn't want anyone to get hurt." she said as she sat down. Her wounds were healed but she was still weak from the blood loss and slight dehidration. "I'll be okay. I'm more worried about Gio now anyway." she said as she watched the fight outside.  

[MadameDPomp]

As the light faded from the room, Jolyre could tell that she and Harrier had been successful. There was but one Nebelim who was cursing Jolyre's name all the way to the Great Will. In a swirl of darkness she called her retreat across the battle field, grabbed the false fire bearer in need of a rescue, and disappeared.
For a moment only Jolyre allowed herself to relax the tiniest bit. The conjurer of images untrue was gone for now. It was with a sinking feeling that she realized Nebelim would call her out in a vengeful fit should they meet again. And they would meet again, Jolyre knew.
She also knew that once the adrenaline from the battles wore off, she'd be worse for the wear. She could heal herself, sure, but healing wounds didn't mean relieving pain and Jolyre was beginning to feel the blossoms of cuts and bruises from her collision with the wall and Nebelim. She'd seen worse.
Things had relatively calmed within the outpost, but the real battle it seemed, had move outside.
Right. No one had guarded Gio in the madness that ensued. Someone was probably doing something foolish to save his life. She'd done much same only a few hours prior to the recent pandemonium. What a ragdoll waste.
Standing with the others on the sidelines of the battle, Gio, it seemed was holding his own.
Who crept into his mind and body now? she scoffed in her mind.
The only time Gio was useful was when he wasn't, well....himself. Wielding a very unphysical halberd against the man Nebelim named Kai. He was obviously their leader if they had all left him here alone at the mercy of eight* crystal bearers.
Whatever was inside Gio was fighting with skill of a warrior unlike Jolyre had ever seen or fought herself. Too bad it couldn't stay, whatever entity had encamped in this time...
(I know it's Gio just being supercool, but she's a cynical jerk so she can't bring herself to think that way. and 8 was just a guess)  

[Draconia Crystalis]

((That's perfectly reasonable. Anyone who knows about Gio's split personalities would have good reason to believe that he was under another entity's control in order to perform like this. There are some things he could say that would change that perspective for any onlookers, though, and I will have him say them eventually.

I will make another post later tonight with the actual fight, so hang-tight everyone. I plan for it to be a furious and frantic one to test my abilities at role-playing a fight scene.))  

[Scythe de Zaran]

Rigo's distraction might have gotten him hit again, but Alane pushed him down, avoiding a fireball. He apologized. "My apologies, Lady Alane," Rigo said softly. He stood up quickly to take a defensive stance in case Jayden attacked them again. Thoughts of Gio would have to wait until this fake Fire Crystal user went down permanently.

However, it seemed they had been victorious with some aid from Suri. The fire user had been thrown into the wall and was having issues standing. Rigo's face was expressionless as he watched. Jayden would not be attacking again, as the darkness from the false Darkness crystal bearer wrapped around the false fire user. Rigo had a feeling they would be leaving even before the enemy spoke because he was familiar with the scope of Darkness.

Rigo frowned. It seemed Jolyre had been fighting the fake Darkness user. He'd had to ask her how that went, if Jolyre didn't scream at him on sight again. The Nero Angeal now turned his attention to his brother. He saw Kasumi bleeding, but the Sahagin didn't seem to have any wounds on her. Looking past her, the heir of Dragoni saw his younger brother holding up rather well. Rigo had absolutely no idea where in the Great Will had given Gio a halberd to handle. Whatever the case, Rigo was clearly glad that his brother was okay. By the Great Will, is he back to himself? Rigo wondered. He could tell Animus wasn't possessing Gio. He wasn't sure if some entity was possessing Gio, but he just had a feeling it was Gio. Rigo felt a warmth from his heart and a sigh of relief. If Gio was back, that was wonderful. However, the Nero Angeal watched the fight closely. Why had only that particular enemy stayed while the rest left? In addition, he wanted to make sure Gio was ok. He was ready to provide aid the moment he saw Gio get hurt.